That’s A Wrap! CDC Reduces Recommended COVID-19 Isolation Period

Littler / By Devjani Mishara and Alka Ramchandani-Raj

On March 1, 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that it is updating its COVID-19 guidance and is no longer recommending that individuals who test positive for COVID-19 isolate for five days.  The agency is recommending a new, “unified approach” to respiratory viruses, including not only COVID-19 but also flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). 

Under the new guidance, individuals should monitor themselves for various respiratory virus symptoms, including fever, chills, fatigue, cough, runny nose and headache.  Those who develop such symptoms are recommended to “stay home and away from others,” but also advised that they can return to normal activities “when, for at least 24 hours,” their symptoms are improving and they have not had a fever without the use of fever-reducing medication.  The CDC’s recommendations are now independent of whether an individual actually has tested positive for COVID-19 or any other respiratory virus, and do not include any minimum isolation period.

What does this mean for employers?

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